Free Water & Sanitation

When we are thirsty, one way of quenching our thirst is to collect and drink the free rain water that falls from the skies. Very Simple! This source of water is free of cost, and free from dependence on corporations and infrastructure.

Water Supply:

A connection to the public water system would cost around $4000, and an annual water utilization bill is around $1500. The ‘Ship’ is free of these costs.

The EarthShip is extremely efficient on water use.All water required is collected from rain gathered from the EarthShip roof and stored in large tanks. About 30,000lts is enough for a family for drinking, cleaning and washing.

In being ‘Off Grid’, another 25000 litres is collected and stored for safety / emergency. Hopefully this is never required but is available for the rare possibility of a fire.

The water can be recycled up to three times – depending on local laws – allowing it to be used four times before it returns to nature for the big natural recycle that occurs via evaporation, clouds and rain.

First use is Personal – bathing, washing clothes, drinking etc. [Note: Grey water from dish washing may have a variation on its path back to nature.]

The Second use –growingvegetables (and possibly fish) in the onsite wicking beds and ponds.

Third use – is for flushing the toilets

The Fourth use – is irrigation of external fruit, nuts and berry trees – more food production.

The picture below shows schematically the water path from rain, through the four stages out to external wicking beds (Botanic Cells) and its path back to nature again for natural recycle.

Sanitation:

The Unmentionables –Ablutions – are also handled by ‘The Ship’.

We all poo, but the utility companies have control of what happens next, and we pay for it in our sewerage bill.

We could ‘squat’ behind a tree; however, there are several Superior, User Friendly,Incredibly Hygienic, Off Grid Systems available.

In the eco-septic, the toilets are flushed using the rejuvenated water exiting wicking beds (Botanic Cells) then the processed effluent water is used to irrigate the fruit trees or the wood lot.

The composting toiletuses a very small water flush, or no water at all. The system runs under a very slightly negative pressure (caused by the Flue Fan) that ensures that the toilets are Odour Free and Hygienic. Natural bacteria break down the excrement into a solid “compost” which is excellent ‘tree food’for the nut, berry and fruit trees. This method has been successfully tried and proven over 4000 years of sustainable agriculture in the ‘Eastern” world.

Other Off Grid options include the Worm Farm Waste System. This is a variation of the eco-septic utilizing worms to ‘digest’ the human excrement into usable liquid and solid fertilizer, which has excellent nutrient qualities and is best used on the fruit trees or on the CO2 absorbing wood lot.

Enter the Earthship

What a privilege it is to part of something far greater than ourselves. The march towards sustainable families, communities, countries and the whole planet must succeed or we as humanity are doomed. Maybe not in our limited life time, but God willing that will stretch out another 30 years or more but in the lifetime of our children’s, children’s children, and so on. That means that we must plant now for the future. Plant the trees of ideals, of example, of learning and teaching that will live far beyond us; trees that provide shade that we possibly will never enjoy.

In this regard, individually I can control but one person – me. So I have started planting. By myself the results will be small as I can only plant a finite number of trees. With Rose by my side, we will achieve at least twice as much. However, by our actions and example we may be able to influence a few others, maybe many; and this is our goal. But we are not alone in our quest. The march started generations ago, and is only now ramping up, gaining momentum and starting to be noticed.

We live in awe of those precious souls, now gone, who have laid the paving stones of ‘sustainability’ in the years gone by, toiling selflessly and un-rewarded for their exceptional efforts. The best way we see to honour them, is to walk on the road they have paved with the full intention of extending that path all the way to a totally sustainable existence here on earth.

Hopefully you will enjoy your tour through our web pages, and are impacted by the content. Furthermore we hope our influence transforms your thinking and way of life.